Community Forums

BeerBrewer · 06-20-2019, 07:34 AM

My wife and I are new RVers and we live in the middle of Suffolk County NY (out on Long Island). We are struggling with the planning of a proposed 3 maybe 4 week trip to Florida that we'd like to take next winter around February/March that we could use some advice on. We aren't having issues finding places to see in Florida, since there is so much advice and info out there, but we are having issues trying to figure out the logistics of HOW we get there and I don’t mean driving directions.

First, since it would winter, our trailer would still be winterized and I wouldn't de-winterize it until we were in warm enough climate. We are thinking of stopping in Orlando area and according to Google it’s about 18 hours of straight driving away. Since there is NO WAY that we're going to drive straight thru we need to plan on places to stop. My original thought was to break the trip into 3 days, say driving 6 hours and stopping. That would mean that our first stop would be somewhere in the Baltimore/Washington DC area. Unfortunately, it could still be below freezing in the Baltimore/Washington DC area in February, so would that negate using the trailer? Can we leave the trailer winterized and still use the toilet, flushing with a bucket of water? I we stopped for just a night, where would we stop, a Cabela’s or Walmart? Is that safe? Would we disconnect the trailer (I’m thinking not)? Should we try and do the trip in 2 days stopping in the Carolinas where it would be warmer? I have similar issues/questions for the trip back. Like, I guess I should re-winterize the trailer before we hit the colder climates.

LETMGROW · 06-20-2019, 07:42 AM

If it was me I would plan on parking at a motel at least for the first night and forget trying to use the Trailer.
Why chance a freeze up? Of course the weather could be warmer than usual then the decision may change. It's kind of hard to predict this far ahead.
Lynn

BTW, Welcome to the forum

rk911 · 06-20-2019, 07:53 AM

X2. when we take off for AZ in winter we plan on staying at a motel for the first night and possibly the second. the Allstays Truck & Travel app has a filter to find motels with truck parking areas.

sbleiweiss · 06-20-2019, 08:07 AM

Being local you may already know this, but plan extra time the first (and last returning) day for crossing the GW or VN Bridge. And try to do it on a weekend or at least late morning.

BeerBrewer · 06-20-2019, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbleiweiss

Being local you may already know this, but plan extra time the first (and last returning) day for crossing the GW or VN Bridge. And try to do it on a weekend or at least late morning.

OMG....That section of Interstate 95, between the GW Bridge and the CT state boarder is the worst...worst road to drive on. There is like 9 lanes merging down to 3 lanes and the pavement is just a collection of pot hole repairs. The last time we drove thru there it took 3 hours to get from the GW bridge to the Throgs Neck bridge and it wasn't even rush hour! If anyone needs to drive thru there I strongly suggest only doing it in the middle of the night or head north and use the Tappan Zee bridge to cross the Hudson River. As for the VN Bridge I'd avoid that too when towing because you also have to take the Brooklyn Queens Expressway which is another nightmare. I did that once and will never do it again! Sadly the roads thru NYC are all a disgrace. We love living on Long Island, but its a nightmare to get on and off of. That combined and the high taxes are forcing us to consider living elsewhere.

Good advice...on staying at a motel. I did not know that Allstays also indicated motels that could handle trucks.

Waiter21 · 06-20-2019, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Can we leave the trailer winterized and still use the toilet, flushing with a bucket of water?

Yes. Use RV antifreeze or windshield washer fluid to flush the toilet (If you use windshield washer fluid, make sure its the -50 deg F stuff, not the pretty blue water stuff)

We limit the use of the toilet until we reach warm weather and can de-winterize. When stopped, don't drain any water into the gray or black tanks, dump it outside.

twogypsies · 06-20-2019, 02:16 PM

The motel is one suggestion.

However, you can certainly use the toilet if still winterized as Waiter21 described.

Bring gallons of fresh water to use for drinking. Don't plan on cooking. One thing though, since you have a trailer with no heat getting to it while traveling, it's going to be very cold in there for a while until the furnace gets it warm, especially your mattress and bedding. Perhaps stopping at a restaurant and turn the furnace on while you're eating so it's bearable when you return to it.

Winter traveling isn't fun. That's why many leave in November and don't return to cold climates until March/April! Any chance of doing that? It sounds like you may be retired.

LETMGROW · 06-20-2019, 02:32 PM

Another benefit to staying at a motel would be the access to showers in the morning before you hit the road. Usually you will find a restaurant nearby so no dishes to wash or pile up waiting to use the trailer's water which at some point in time you will have to find to fill and flush your trailer's tanks.
No worries about heat during the night time either.
No doubt it will be 70 deg. the day you leave and all this advice will be for nothing anyway. LOL
Lynn